Resourcing for Ministry Effectiveness’ seminar renews spirit of collaboration
As director of operations for the Parishes on the Prairie Area Catholic Community, my ministry entails working closely with our priests and parishioners, striving to provide them with the support and resources they need to fulfill their mission of spreading the love and compassion of Jesus Christ to the community. This role is crucial in ensuring that our ACC can thrive and provide a welcoming and inclusive faith community for all.
In this ministerial position, it is my job to oversee facility management activities such as maintenance, repairs and renovations of church buildings and other properties. I have developed and implemented policies and procedures to ensure safety and security within the parishes, which has helped to create a more welcoming and hospitable environment for our staff and parishioners.
Working closely with the priests, staff and volunteers ensures smooth operations within our ACC. I also handle budget planning, forecasting and reporting to ensure financial stability and transparency. Additionally, my role includes managing and coordinating human resource matters, including hiring and onboarding new staff, conducting performance evaluations and providing professional development opportunities.
When I heard about the opportunity the Diocese of St. Cloud was providing for parish and school administrators to learn more about payroll, handbooks, benefits, hiring and other personnel management areas within ACCs, I was among the first to sign up.
At the event in St. Joseph on June 1, one of the highlights for me was the collaboration between lay leaders, priests and the diocese to form better ACCs through a better understanding of human resources, policies and legal matters. I enjoyed seeing the collective knowledge presented by Brenda Kresky, diocesan director of planning; Bailey Ziegler, diocesan director of human resources; David Fremo, diocesan director of Catholic Education Ministries; and Sam Nelson, attorney with Nelson Law, PLLC. We heard from professional speakers about their areas of expertise. I look forward to seeing the continuation of topics and going deeper into issues that need addressing in future events.
We must shift from the mindset of “I” to “We” by doing events like this. We must use each other’s God-given gifts to benefit our diocese, ACCs and parishes and not keep those talents isolated. I see it this way: God had his disciples, as he called us to minister to the Church to be the best stewards we can be.
One takeaway from the event I will use in my work is knowing that there is support, that one ACC does not need to do this alone and that we have tools and resources in the diocese, in one another and in the Catholic school system. The diocese is there to help us succeed; we are all together as one Church.
The Resourcing for Ministry Effectiveness event was an excellent opportunity to learn, collaborate and build relationships. It reminded me that we are all in this together and can rely on each other and the resources available to us to be effective ministers in our communities. I was impressed by the commitment and passion everyone involved in the workshop displayed. It was evident that everyone was invested in the success of the ACCs and the betterment of the community, which was truly inspiring to witness. I am grateful for the experience and look forward to future events where we can continue to learn and grow together as a diocese.
By Adam Saltmarsh, the director of operations for the Parishes on the Prairie Area Catholic Community, which includes parishes in Belgrade, Brooten, Elrosa, Sauk Centre and West Union.